The administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump has withdrawn further appeals of a court ruling that blocked its policy threatening to strip federal funding from schools and colleges that run diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. The Department of Education filed a motion to dismiss its appeal, leaving in place the federal judge’s August verdict. The court ruled that the campaign against DEI violated the First Amendment’s free-speech protections as well as administrative procedure rules.
The policy was challenged in court after the Department of Education under the Trump administration sent official guidance letters to schools and colleges. The letters asserted that practices aimed at increasing diversity had resulted in discrimination against white and Asian-American students, and instructed institutions not to consider race in admissions, hiring or awarding scholarships. The American Federation of Teachers filed the lawsuit against those directives, and the advocacy group Democracy Forward, representing the plaintiffs, called the withdrawal of the appeal “a significant victory for public education.”
In her ruling, Judge Stephanie Gallagher of Maryland said the threat of losing funding created a climate of fear among millions of educators who might have feared punishment even for lawful and beneficial speech. Thus, the court found that federal authorities cannot use financial leverage to suppress academic freedom and discussions about equality. The Trump administration’s final withdrawal from the appellate fight means the decision remains in force, a relief to supporters of diversity programs in education.
Based on: Trump administration drops legal appeal over anti-DEI funding threat to schools and colleges